Mojave Owners; How Does Your Truck Handle Snow?

[dcmdon]

Yeah okay, I have driven plenty of AWD vehicle and currently own two of them, regular RWD vehicles with 4WD and manual transfer cases are still perfectly fine for driving in snowy and slippery conditions.

So you have "fine". I get it. My first car was a RWD Chevy Monte Carlo that I had a set of used snow tires only on the rear.

Isn't it worth $600 to get "optimal"??

I guess I'm lucky. When I was a kid my parents had a Saab 99 and Saab 96. Both got skinny Vredestein snows in the winter. Those cars were probably the best snow vehicles you could buy back then. When I turned 16, I got the Monte Carlo and learned all about RWD in the snow. It wasn't pretty. But I digress. . . . . .

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[ShadowsPapa]

So you have "fine". I get it. My first car was a RWD Chevy Monte Carlo that I had a set of used snow tires only on the rear.

Isn't it worth $600 to get "optimal"??

I guess I'm lucky. When I was a kid my parents had a Saab 99 and Saab 96. Both got skinny Vredestein snows in the winter. Those cars were probably the best snow vehicles you could buy back then. When I turned 16, I got the Monte Carlo and learned all about RWD in the snow. It wasn't pretty. But I digress. . . . . .

Modern 3 peak A/T tires are actually better than the dedicated snow tires I grew up with.
We all know parts of Canada require 3 peak snow rated tires between certain months.

Note that they are not saying dedicated "snow tire" -


About Winter Tires
What is a Legal Winter Tire in B.C.?
A legal winter tire (on a standard passenger vehicle or a four-wheel/all-wheel vehicle) MUST have at least 3.5 mm of tread depth.

A winter tire must be labelled with either of the following:

• The letters "M" and "S", the minimum legal requirement (mud + snow/all season tires)
  
• The 3-peaked mountain/snowflake symbol (some manufacturers label with both the mountain snowflake and the M+S symbol)
  
  

3-peaked mountain/snowflake tires offer better traction on snow and ice. We recommend drivers install 3-peaked mountain/snowflake tires for cold weather driving and, for extreme conditions, carry chains.

Summer tires are not permitted for driving during designated winter months. Chains on summer tires are not an acceptable substitute for legal winter tires on signed B.C. highways.

In some places, including Iowa or parts of Iowa, studs are not legal.
My first 4 wheel drive vehicle that I personally owned was my Eagle - it's been 4x4s since that time. I lived in northern Iowa at the time and the only time I could get it stuck (and I was still sort of young then so I tried) was when I high-centered it and all 4 were literally in the air and the car rested on the floor pan - and they sat high as many people know. I drove through bumper high snow with the tires that car came with. It was that capable.
I could take my RWD vehicles through some crazy stuff, though.

Interesting that some of the coldest and most snowy places on this continent don't have requirements for "winter tires".

https://www.savvynewcanadians.com/are-winter-tires-compulsory-in-canada/

 

[Mac]

Just curious who is running dedicated snows on a JT and if so what tire and what size?

 

[Mojave2021]

Also curious how folks with the factory Falkon M/Ts are handling snow.

 

[dcmdon]

Just curious who is running dedicated snows on a JT and if so what tire and what size?

In 6 months I'll be able to answer that as I will probably buy a set of wheels and put 35s on them and put a set of Nokian Hakkapeliitta LT3. 285/70-17s on the stock wheels for winter.

 

[Gvsukids]

the only Snow I will ever see again in real life will be on TV. One of my Top 5 reasons moving from NYC after I retired to Sunny Florida. But good to know my Mojave will perform well if it snows in South Florida. ?

You'd be the only one on the road.

 

[Minty JL]

i had no issues when others were getting stuck. In MD we get an odd mix of snow and ice and that is hard to drive in, the JTM was the most stable and sure footed vehicle I have ever driven in snow.

More pics of the lights in the hood scoop?

 

[Gvsukids]

Also curious how folks with the factory Falkon M/Ts are handling snow.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/falken-wildpeak-mt-snow-performance.38185/

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/falken-wildpeak-m-t.25073/

 

[dcmdon]

i had no issues when others were getting stuck. In MD we get an odd mix of snow and ice and that is hard to drive in, the JTM was the most stable and sure footed vehicle I have ever driven in snow.

MD is one of those places where all hell breaks loose when it snows.

1) The drivers don't have any snow skills.
2)Drivers think that 4wd / AWD helps them stop and turn. It doesn't.
3) They don't have the salting and snow removal equipment.

Northeasterners laugh at people in those southern middle Atlantic states who slide off the road and cause 100 car pile ups when it snows. (not if there is serious injury or death. that's not amusing.)

 

[Montana_Wildcat]

I'm a native New Englander and now live in Eastern Montana. Snow is a way of life between October and April. I have had FWD cars, AWD cars, and 4WD trucks. Hands down, the best vehicle I have driven in the snow and on ice is our Grand Caravan with dedicated winter tires. It is an absolute beast. However, when the snow piles up, ground clearance rules. All my trucks have had A/Ts with the 3PMSF rating and it really does make a huge difference in deep snow. Our old AWD Expedition was amazing in deep snow with Hankook Dynapros. I'm looking forward to driving the Mojave in the snow....there should be zero problems with the Wildpeak AT3Ws.

 

[dcmdon]

I'm a native New Englander and now live in Eastern Montana. Snow is a way of life between October and April. I have had FWD cars, AWD cars, and 4WD trucks. Hands down, the best vehicle I have driven in the snow and on ice is our Grand Caravan with dedicated winter tires. It is an absolute beast. However, when the snow piles up, ground clearance rules. All my trucks have had A/Ts with the 3PMSF rating and it really does make a huge difference in deep snow. Our old AWD Expedition was amazing in deep snow with Hankook Dynapros. I'm looking forward to driving the Mojave in the snow....there should be zero problems with the Wildpeak AT3Ws.

Its funny, the Caravan has become kind of a sleeper hit with the skiiers at the mountain we go to. Chrysler is now making it with AWD and that combined with snow tires makes it kind of a poor man's Suburban when it comes to room and snow capability.

I agree with you on the ground clearance issue. At some point that matters.

 

[Rocksalt]

dedicated snow tires if youlive in an area that actually stays winter for a few months will be the best . Blizzaks . But if you live like most where winter is only a few weeks ora month of actually snow covered... then an AT with 3 pesk mountain snow rated

 

[Wyofuy069]

Blizzaks while good snow tires can not hold a candle to Hakkapeliitta. After about 15000 miles Blizzaks have lost the best part of their tread. Nokian’s keep their tread right down to where you actually need to change the tire. I have had both.

 

[l8rg8r]

Just curious who is running dedicated snows on a JT and if so what tire and what size?

Cooper Discoverer Snow Claws - 285/70r17. (Studded)
And they do great. I live in Montana and go up to the ski area several times a week. We get below 0 temps for several weeks out of the winter. We also get snow-melt cycles. In one trip to the ski area you can encounter wet roads-slushy roads- icy roads and roads with what we call brown cake and deep unplowed snow on our country road to get home. The claws have no problems in any of these conditions.

 

[Closet Jeep guy]

Correct me if I'm wrong about Mojave factory setup...

Sport = open diff F/R
Sport Max Tow & Willys = LSD rear
Mojave = rear selectable locker
Rubicon = front & rear selectable lockers

For packed snow & ice: LDS>open differential>locked lockers.

Lockers will slide you right off the road on ice, open diff will leave one front & one rear tire spinning on ice (and no power going to the other tire on that axle), limited slip - put slight pressure on parking/emergency brake & both rear tires will have power. Let off brake as soon as you are moving & you won't slide right off the road surface.

So... the best factory model for packed snow or ice is a sport max tow (more biting edges on street tires). Best factory model for mix of deep snow, packed snow, & ice is Willys (MT tires better in deep snow, but worse in ice than street tires).

Mojave & Rubicon cannot safely engage lockers in ice & packed snow, so they might as well be a non-max tow sport in those conditions.

I know this is old but I'm leaning towards a mojave. I believe they are locking rear with open on the front ....so doesn't that make them best of both worlds ?

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